Heel-block.



D. WENDHS AQD. FHAES.

HEEL M6651..

APPLICATION Imm Noms. 19x?.

Patented Jau. 7, 1919.

ma mman: uns co., nnmnurua.. wasmucnw, n. c

TINITEE STATES PATENT oEEICE.

DAVID WINDERS Ann AUGUSTUS n. rIIAEEs, E SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

HEEL-BLOCK.

i ,aetnanet Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented I an. '7, 19t 9.

Application filed November 8, 1917. Serial No. 200,868.

` Heel-Blocks, of which the, following is a specification.

This invention relates to the attacln'nent of French, Cuban and like heels to the soles of shoes.

rIhe high, tapering heels of womens shoes are ordinarily not well secured in place to `the sole, particularly around the edge and they freopuentlyy become detached. A considerable Apart of the Shoe repairers time is devoted to the renailing of such heels in place. This operation presents diiicultics owing to the fact that `such heels are generally made with a wooden filler and the nails have to be driven from the inside of the shoe. Owing to the height of the heel, and due to the tapering form of the heel there is no support for the upper portion thereof when said heel is placed upright upon a fiat surface. The result is that it is extremely diiicult to drive the nails and that the heel is frequently split, or, if not split, is but insecurely nailed in place. Our object is to provide a block or support either for use on a jack or bench in which the detached heel can be placed and obtain support for the rim of its flaring top portion. `Thereby the heel can be quickly nailed in place without danger of splitting and the nails can be driven quite close to the edge and on a slant such as to retain the heel in place much more securely than when originally attached. The faces of the supporting members are converged downwardly so that a wedging action takes place when a pressure or percussion is applied to the top of the heel and thus the heel is prevented from slipping and splitting. The block is simple and inexpensive to construct and is so shaped that almost any shape or size of high heel can be accommodated.

The device may take a variety of diiferent forms, two such being shown in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 shows a vertical central sectional view of a block for use upon a bench.

Fig. 2 shows a plan view of the Same.

Fig. 3 shows a vertical central sectional view of a block to be used in connection with. a ack. l

In its simplest form, the block need have but three points of support for the heel, these being indicatedv in Fig. 2 at A, B and C. The three points are disposed two at the rear and one at the front so as to prevent the heel from rocking. and the faces of these supports are inclined downwardly and inwardly in order to wedge the heel and thereby prevent slipping and splitting.

As here shown we employ a block l() made preferably of cast metal and of greater height thanthe heel to be received. This block is formed with an opening 11 somewhat in the shape of the heel l2. In Fig. 1 both ends of the opening are flared outwardly so as to adapt `the device to receive a heel at either side, the tapering being different at opposite sides so as to accommodate different varieties of heels. In Fig. 3 the block is extended at the rear and formed on its under side with a socket 13 to receive a jack 14;.

In order that the front portion of the shoe may rest firmly on the bench or other flat surface when the heel is in the block and the rear portion of the shoe is in contact With the heel, it is desirable to make the front portion of the block lower than the rear portion. To prevent abrasion of the heel a lining of leather, cloth or other suitable material may be applied to the inside of the block.

With a block of this character supporting the upper rim of the heel at three or more points and acting wedge-like on the flange when a pressure or percussion is applied to the topV of the heel, there is littlen danger of splitting the heel and nails 15 be driven quite close to the edge and upon an incline, as shown in ldotted lines, thus securely attaching the heel in place. Furthermore, because of the inclined inner surface of the block, heels of many sizes may be accommodated by merely allowing the heel to descend into the block until it finds the proper sized seat.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A block for supporting heels to which shoes are to be nailed having a plurality of supporting surfaces arranged in iXed relation to each other to engage various sized heels, and to support the heel solely thereby, said surfaces being convergingly inclined to afford a wedging action upon the heel when the shoe is nailed thereto.

2. A block for supporting heels for nailing a shoe to them comprising three points of support to engage the heel near the upper rim portion thereof and maintain the bottom of the heel out of Contact with a supporting surface, said points of support be* ing disposed one at the front and two at the rear of the heel, the front point of support being lower than the others to permit the heel to incline in a normal way.

3. A block for supporting heels for nailing a shoe to them comprising a metallic block of greater height than the heel and formed with an opening at its central portion into ,which the heells adapted to be wedged, the

walls of the opening at opposite ends being inclined outwardly to adapt said opening to receive a heel when the block is placed either side up.

4:. A vertically, apertured heel receiving and supporting block of the character described, in which the walls of the heel receiving aperture converge inwardly from the upper and lower ends ofthe aperture, said a shoe is being nailed thereto comprising a.

heel receiving passageway extending entirely therethrough and within which the upper rim portion of the heel is adapted to be en gaged at a plurality of surfaces to be entirely vsupported thereby, said block being further formed to be lower in front than at the rear thereof.

6. A device for supporting heels to which shoes are to be nailed having an opening providing a plurality of supporting surfaces adapted to engage the heel, said opening converging inwardly from the upper and lower faces of the aperture with the rate of convergence greater at one end 0f the aperture than the other, the block being further formed with its apertured faces at angles to each other to cause the front end of the block to be lower than the rear thereof.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DAVID WINDERS. AUGUSTUS D. PHARES. Witnesses:

DAVID `WINDERS, J r., J. J. KERRIGAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

